Mizu no Stigma
by Betony
Summary: After a rocky encounter with a water user, the Kannagi family is on the brink of war with the Mizushima family, a family of equally powerful water users, and only the future head of the Kannagi can stop this. But will she want to if the reason for all of this is also the future head of the Mizushima clan?
1. Chapter 1

The dark green Yoma howled as it spat towards the red haired girl, green slime flying and striking the tree with a _splat_.

Ayano turned, cringing as the wood eroded from the corrosive spit, trying to not imagine what would have happened if that had actually even touched her. Holding Enraiha defensively towards the beast, she shouted to her left, frustrated eyes trained on the lounging brunette sitting calmly on the park bench. "Kazuma! Aren't you even going to help me here?!"

The man looked up from speaking with the wind spirits, his orange-brown eyes hooded out of boredom. The man shrugged, "Why, you having a problem there, princess?"

The girl yelped as slime nearly struck her foot and growled at his answer. "No, but a little help would be nice you know!"

Kazuma sighed at the girl's dependence on him, but refused to move. Not even a second after thinking that, he felt an element user – no, two element users enter the perimeter and smirked. Looks like he doesn't have to jump in either way.

Ayano jumped and spun in the air, avoiding the volley of acid slime and growled when she gathered her footing. "That's it!" She charged at the thing with a battle cry, jumping in the air directly in front of the beast. "You're mine!"

The girls amber eyes widened in fright when the beast spat at her. She clearly didn't think ahead on this one. The red haired girl yelped, closing her eyes, waiting for the burn of slime to strike but it never came. The only thing that did come was her butt hitting gracelessly on the ground and the Yoma cry in pain before disappearing.

Opening her eyes, she expected to find Kazuma save her, only to find two strange girls standing before her. One was staring straight ahead where the slimy green Yoma was not even a second ago, while the other was kneeling before Ayano like a mother. "Um, excuse me but, are you alright miss?"

Ayano stood up, Enraiha disappearing in flames as she concentrated on the two before her. Both had pitch black hair and seemed around her age, maybe older, but whereas the one who spoke had blue eyes and a pixie cut with neat bangs swept to the right touching her brow, the silent girl glared in the distance with cyan eyes as cold as ice wearing a pixie cut with chopped layers and dyed blue.

Realizing that she still said nothing, the future head spoke, nodding. "Um, yeah I am, thank you. My name's Ayano Kannagi, thank you for saving me."

The kind girl that spoke smiled, but before she could speak, the cyan eyed girl scoffed, turning her glare toward Ayano. "We wouldn't have to, had you not been so reckless." Ayano was stunned at the harsh tone and her anger grew as the girl continued to speak. "I knew fire users were careless, but you just take the cake for being downright dumb. You knew that thing spat acid, yet you still came at it from the front."

"Kasumi…" The blue eyed girl chided sternly in her soft voice, earning a puff of air from her cyan eyed sister.

Meanwhile Ayano seethed until her anger boiled over and she pointed an accusing finger at the now bored cyan eyed girl. "No one asked you to but in, I had it under control!"

The girl known as Kasumi gave a condescending smirk, her tone thick in sarcasm, "Oh, I had no idea that closing your eyes with projectiles flying at you was a battle strategy. I'll keep that in mind next time, oh future leader of the fire clan."

"Why you…" Fiery amber blazed as the red haired female clapped her hands. "Enraiha, come forth!" The wind blew suddenly and Kazuma stood between her and the two girls. Sword still in hand, Ayano looked up in shock. "Kazuma…"

Kasumi smirked at the sight of the marveled fire sword. "Hmph, drawing your weapon because you were wrong, I say that reflects badly on your family."

Ayano growled, readying to lunge, only for Kazuma to halt her advances. Glaring up, she barked, "Get out of my way Kazuma, this is between me and her!"

The brown haired man sighed. "Think carefully about this, as the future head of the Kannagi, are you really going to use Enraiha anytime someone pisses you off."

Ayano pouted, slowly lowering her sword until laughter brought her back. Looking up, she glared when she saw it come from the cyan eyed female, her blue eyed sister trying to silence her. "Her? Future head of the Kannagi clan?" She went into a full blown laughing fit. "She can't even fight a Yoma as weak as that without her precious fire sword? Yet she's going to be a leader?!"

Ayano growled, pushing past the wind user and running full sprint at the grinning black haired girl with distaste. "Take this!" Swinging Enraiha, flames blazing with all her anger, she aimed for the girls face, coming into contact with an ice barrier. Only a strand of Kasumi's short black hair slid in front of her face from the cool breeze. Icy mist covered the ground around the girl and barrier, a tang of crispy air lifting creating a steamy effect from Enraiha.

Amber eyes widened at the sight as she heard a scoff from the other side. "Che, Your anger is so strong, but your flames are weak. They can't even melt my ice." Ayano jumped back, ice shattering as the girl stared forward with cold confidence. "Yet you still want to fight?"

Ayano smirked, "Only if you think you can win."

Kasumi sighed, stuffing her hands in her dark blue hoodie pocket, "and that's a problem." She looked up with cyan eyes. "I know I can win."

Kazuma walked over to the blue eyed twin and simply stood there, enjoying the show. "So I didn't get your names."

The timid girl jumped before realizing that he meant no harm and smiled. "Ah, right. My names Izumi and that's my sister, Kasumi. We're from the Mizushima clan."

Now that name rang a few bells. The amber eyed man looked over. The girl was slightly taller than Ayano, but still shorter than him. "Mizushima clan? The water users? So are you…?"

Ayano glared at Kasumi, blazing amber clashing with indifferent ice. "What makes you think you can beat me?"

"I already stopped your pathetic swords flames didn't I? That weapon is only as strong as the one holding it, and as long as the one holding it is you, I have nothing to fear." The girl shot back in confidence while Ayano grimaced in frustration.

Drawing her sword back to fire a fireball, a hand gripped her arm. "Ayano stop this. Now." Kazuma demanding in a deep voice he only used when he was deadly serious.

But this did nothing to halt the girl from her anger. Instead, she turned towards him with that rage. "And who told you to tell me what to do?"

Unaffected by her stubborn drive, he spoke in that same serious tone. "Your father, when he hired me to protect you."

Ayano pointed her sword in Kasumi's direction. "Why? Are you saying she's actually strong enough to –"

"She's part of the Mizushima clan, the most powerful water users in the Eastern Hemisphere. You simply pulling out Enraiha around her is enough for a war to break out between them and the Kannagi's!"

The red haired girl was shocked. How was she supposed to know that this girl was part of a clan so well-known? Glancing over, Ayano saw the pixie haired girl stare at her blue eyed twin with annoyance before nodding with a sigh, both coming towards them. Izumi was the first to speak. "I'm sorry about my sister's rudeness before, please accept my most humblest of apologies."

Ayano crossed her arms, glaring at Kasumi. "Why can't she apologize for herself?"

Izumi laughed nervously before Kasumi spoke, arms crossed and glaring ahead as well. "I don't see why I have to apologize to a woman I saved, only to have that very woman try and kill me; if anything, I'm the one you need to apologize to."

Amber eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! You were the one who insulted me first!"

"I didn't insult you, I merely stated a fact and you over reacted."

Ayano seethed before suddenly grinning and pointing her nose proudly in the air. "For you to so arrogantly speak to the future head like this, shows how disrespectful the Mizushima really is."

"Don't even play that card," Kasumi warned. "You say you are the future head of the Kannagi, which entitles you to represent the Kannagi as a whole; your actions reflect on the actions of your people. Yet you wield your weapon towards an unknown simply because 'you feelings were hurt'." The girl glared harshly at Ayano, "If that is how you plan to rule, then I pray for your clan's future."

Ayano seethed, her body emitting her fiery aura, even when Izumi tried to speak. "Let's all calm down alright, why don't we-"

Ayano barked at Izumi, mistaking her for Kasumi for a second in her blind, fit filled rage. "No! You know what fine! If you wanna start something with the Kannagi's, you got it!" Lifting her hand, a blazing orange fire ball raced towards Izumi and before the red haired girl even realized her mistake, a powerful wind blew the flame away from its intended target and into a tree no more than three meters away.

Not even a second later, a second wind came as Kazuma stepped from the right of Ayano, who was taken aback from her earlier actions and barely registered the cold cyan eyes glaring down at her, Kazuma's winds keeping the water user at bay. "You bitch! How dare you attack my sister like that!?" Ice gathered round her clench fists. "You're gonna pay!"

"Kasumi stop!" that soft yet stern voice brought the usually calm and cocky girl back to her senses, the iced evaporating away and the wind barrier slowly disappearing once Kazuma realized it was safe now. Looking over, all saw the blue eyed pixie haired girl nod her head. "We've over stayed our welcome, let's go home."

Kasumi glared past Kazuma and right at Ayano who stared forward in confusion. "Don't think this incident will go unpunished, damn hot head." She muttered the last part, turning around and walking after her sister.

On her way home, she was surprised when a servant came and told her how her father wanted to see her immediately.

With Kazuma in tow, Ayano opened the door, seeing her father sitting on the tama mats with his back straight and looked up at Ayano with disappointment. "Ayano, I heard that you encountered two members of the Mizushima clan and attacked them. Is this true?"

Ayano sighed, preparing for a lecture, but remained standing. "Yes father."

Uncharacteristically the man glared at his daughter. "You knew this, yet persisted!"

Slightly taken aback, the red haired girl couldn't help but defend herself. "But father, they provoked me!"

"Did they use their water magic on you?"

"Well, no—"

"Did they threaten you?"

"No, bu-"

"But what!?"

"She called me weak! I had to defend my honor!"

"And that gave you a right to use Enraiha? Because she verbally insulted you?"

Ayano frowned, "she insulted everyone in the Kannagi; she called fire users careless and me weak! I'm the future head of the Kannagi-"

"Which makes this incident all the more shameful!" Ayano gasped, while even Kazuma stared up with wide eyes; Jugo has never spoken so harshly to his daughter, not once. The green eyed man sighed. "By raising Enraiha to members of the water clan, you have voiced that the Kannagi's wish to go to war with the Mizushima's."

"What?! I never intended to do that!" Ayano screeched, her father raising a hand.

"I know that, but that does not mean your actions can go without repercussions." Staring forward with unreadable eyes, Jugo spoke. "To clarify this matter, the head of the Mizushima along with their own future head, have declared an audience, to speak with us on this matter on a more personal level of understanding."

"Why with the future head as well?" Ayano couldn't help but ask.

Jugo sighed. "Since the matter was done by you, a future head, he thought it best to have one future head speak with another."

Kazuma felt a familiar shift in the winds and smirked, knowing what was to come as he leaned against the wall, feeling the presence come closer and closer.

"I see," Ayano spoke, now knelling before her father respectively. "And when will we have the audience."

"Well, they should be here any minute now." Jugo answered just when the sliding door opened revealing two familiar faces and a third older one. The older one was a tall tanned man with black hair greying at the temples and coal black eyes. Ayano stared ahead, her mouth gapping like a fish as her father spoke. "Ah, Ayano, this is Takumi Mizushima, the current head of the Mizushima's and his daughters, Izumi Mizushima and Kasumi Mizushima. They are the next heads of the Mizushima clan."

Izumi bowed when she was introduced, while Kasumi simply stared down at the shell-shocked Ayano impassively. "We met."


	2. Chapter 2

The room was filled with tense silence as the six magic users of the room sat before each other in complementary fashion. Jugo Kannagi sat directly in front of Takumi Mizushima, their children to their right, with Izumi and Kasumi facing Ayano and Kazuma.

After a while the tanned water user spoke after taking a long sip of tea. "Jugo, it's been a while since we've seen each other. I wish it would have been on better circumstances." The man spoke in a low baritone voice, his words echoing with authority.

Ayano felt intimidated by the man. This was her first time seeing a water user, but she typically imagined them as kind and soft spoken, like Izumi who sat with her head bowed next to her dark skinned father. But after her encounter with Kasumi and now just sitting near Takumi, she can safely say that the stereotypes she had before were now far from reality.

Jugo was passive at his old friends way of speaking, knowing that he was always like this, and replied in turn, his voice soothing but still assertive. "Yes, same here Takumi." Glancing over, the man smiled at the two short haired twins. "Your daughters have grown quite big; last I saw, they were still in diapers."

Taking one final sip of tea, Takumi placed the cup down, a servant gathering it, while he set his coal black eyes to Jugo. "Yes, but sadly, we're not here to share stories, I'll start by apologizing for my child's behavior earlier." He gave his cyan eyed daughter a sharp look, which caused the black haired girl to shift nervously. "Had she kept her tongue to herself, none of this would have happened in the first place."

Kasumi sighed, flipping her bangs to the side before bowing to Jugo. "I humbly beseech you for your forgiveness and pray that you do not take my individual actions against my people."

Ayano felt like cheering, seeing her enemy bow to her father like that. That is until her father spoke with her in mind.

"I accept your apology, but this skirmish was not one sided." Jugo glanced at his daughter, the amber eyed girl raising a brow, questioning his next statement. "Had my daughter not taken Kasumi's words out of context, she wouldn't have felt the need to draw her sword and assault your daughter."

Ayano was shocked at her father saying she was also at fault. No way did she do anything wrong, it was the other girl.

As if to fuel her inner fire, Kasumi spoke, her sincere tone only coming across as taunting in Ayano's ears. "Oh, it's no problem. After all, Ayano could barely melt my ice with her uncontrollable anger, so of course, no harm done."

Growling Ayano stood, glaring harshly at Kasumi, who had her eyes shifted down, but a ghost of a smirk on her lips. "Excuse you?!"

They grey haired fire user glanced up at his daughter in disappointment, while Kazuma lazily sat with his legs folded before him and staring upwards at the seething red head with something akin to indifference. "Ayano," Her father called in warning, the red head darting her head to stare at her father with bewilderment.

Because of the young fire user's interruption the salt and pepper haired water user directed his harsh empty, coal black glare to Ayano, then back to Jugo with annoyance. "Is your daughter always so disrespectful, Jugo?"

"Disrespectful?" Ayano parroted, turning to give the older man a questioning glance, her eyes still on fire.

Without even looking back at the girl, Takumi spoke. "Speaking out of turn, have you no knowledge of where you stand?" Finally eyeballing the amber eyed girl with harsh coal black, he spoke in a bitter tone. "You shame your family by disregarding social manners and shouting at my daughter like a common thug."

Time seemed to stop for Ayano as the words seeped in, the room falling deathly silent as even Jugo was shocked beyond words at the water leaders bold statement. Risking a glance to her father, Ayano saw the green eyed man staring with shock filled eyes at his old friend before sighing and peeking up at his daughter with sad eyes. "Ayano, sit."

_Is he really not going to say anything about that?_ Ayano thought in shock, but sat nonetheless, in a stupor of sort, her senses lost; all except her sense of hearing.

Kazuma glanced at the tanned water user with calculating amber eyes. By him regarding the future leader so coldly, shows a lot in character. Sure Ayano was wrong by letting her anger get the best of her, but that didn't call for him to call her out in such a manner. And with Jugo not even defending his daughter. The wind user sighed, guess the Mizushima's really were a force to be reckoned with, if even Jugo couldn't stand up to them. That, and he must be strict on how magic users are in representing their clans.

Izumi looked up and gave Ayano an apologetic smile for her father's straightforwardness, while Kasumi was on the brink of passing out. If only they'd get on with this stupid meeting, then she can go home, do her training, and be done with the day.

As if reflecting her daughter's thoughts, Takumi continued. "Since we have clarified that both parties are at fault, I suppose we should come up with an agreeable compromise."

Slightly confused at the statement, Jugo stared forward at his friend with raised brows. "Well, I think that just letting them know their actions against each other was wrong is enough, what do you say?"

Now with a new cup of herbal tea, the water user raised the cup to his lips before speaking. "I say they spend six months on a tropical island with only the clothes on their back and each other to forcefully communicate peacefully to survive."

Ayano stared back at the tanned man in shock. Did he really suggest something so outlandish? That's probably why he's so tanned! Looking down at her hands, Ayano couldn't help but let his words echo through her mind. Trapped on an island, with Kasumi, no way was that going to happen, they'd both be dead before getting rescued! From murder or starvation, it's hard to say.

Waiting for the green eyed fire user's response, Takumi saw his soft-spoken daughter, Izumi, raise her hand, her sky blue eyes staring up with anxiety now that everyone was staring at her, even Kasumi, who was shocked that her shy twin dared to speak during a meeting between their father and the head of the Kannagi.

The head of the Mizushima nodded his head towards his pale daughter. "Speak."

The dark blue eyed girl tensed at being verbally pointed out; a simple nod of the head would have serviced, she couldn't help but think, before taking a deep breath and speaking as loud as her voice could carry. Looking up at her father shyly, timidly, she spoke, "Da-… Leader, I was just thinking that, instead of sending Kasumi and Ayano off to the deserted island so they can kill each other, why not just have them live together. Not only will we have witnesses to stop them from killing each other, but they'll be in an environment where they have to work to coincide with each other."

Kasumi snorted, lifting her tea with distaste. "Yeah, I'd rather go back to the island thank you very much; at least there I won't feel the urge to launch a water ball at her."

"Kasumi," Her father warned, but it was too late. The young adult lightly slammed her cup on the tama mat and darted her head to glare at her father defiantly.

"You know I hate being confined like this! And not only that," She pointed shamelessly at Ayano, who glared in turn. "You expect me to live with a hot head like her! No way-"

The amber eyed girl in question stood, glaring down at the cyan eyed girl in response, shouting as well. "Who are you calling a hot head! I'm not the one screaming!"

The water user stood, flipping her black and blue bangs out of her face, revealing sharp bleach blue eyes. "You got short term memory or something? You were shouting not even three minutes ago, and you're doing it right now!"

Takumi clenched his fist, preparing to discipline his daughter until Jugo spoke up, silencing the room. "I say that's a fine idea, Izumi. What say you, Takumi?"

"Huh?" Kasumi and Ayano spoke in sync, their mouths hanging open and looking at their respective fathers in disbelief.

Takumi glared forward at his daughter, her narrowed her own eyes, but shrank back from the intensity, before looking back at Jugo with a smirk. "I agree. Now will be a good time for her to better herself by communicating outside the family and gain a foothold as future leader."

Jugo smiled at his friend, both standing while the two still standing daughters watch as they shook hands. "Agreed, I'll set up a room for Kasumi and Izumi, should she wish to visit, for a month and see where that takes us."

Ayano couldn't believe her ears, as the young woman clenched her fists and shouted, "Are you kidding me!"


	3. Chapter 3

Ayano sighed for the umpteenth time as she walked home from school with her blue and blonde haired friends.

It's only been three days, yet she still couldn't get used to the fact that she had to live under the same roof with a water user.

She was fine with Izumi staying there, after all, the girl was nice and kind, plus she always kept to herself, so Ayano had no problems where the pixie haired water user was concerned. No, it was Kasumi she was having problems with.

Kasumi, the root to all of the future Kannagi leader's problems. The (personally) annoying, black haired girl was as cold as the ice she controls. Ever since she officially moved in, she's been nothing but an annoyance to Ayano; When the red haired girl is training, Kasumi decides to show up and point out all her flaws; When she's trying to relax, Kasumi 'accidentally' shoots a stream of water at her face when training with Izumi.

Ayano visibly shook with anger as her friends watched the young fire users expressions changed from angry, to enraged, to downright furious. Yukari looked up at her blue haired friend and smiled nervously. "Is it just me, or is Ayano more mad than usual?"

Nanase laughed just as tensely, "Yeah." With a raised brow and curious tone, "Do you think it has to do with her and Kazuma?"

The blonde haired, honey eyed girl shrugged, clueless. "Maybe."

Ayano suddenly stopped and glared ahead when she recognized the reason for her distress walking towards them in a lazy manner next to her sister. Both girls were sporting white school uniforms with black trimming, the colors for the near-by prestigious private school for gifted learners. While Izumi, with her pixie cut tamed and brushed to the side, had her uniform on properly and buttoned, Kasumi was still wild; her choppy bob and unbuttoned uniform screaming 'rebel', not to mention the glare she sent to everyone who so much as looked at them.

Evidently, Ayano wasn't the only one to recognize the uniform as her friends gawked at the approaching females. "Whoa, is that the Suzukikara High School uniform? The Suzukikara, school for the gifted?"

Nanase nodded, rubbing her head. "I heard to get in, you just had to be royalty. Not even the smartest kid in school could go there. What I would give to just be friends with people like that, imagine all the cool stories they could share!"

Glancing over, Kasumi's glare lessened, but a taunting smirk slowly stretched onto her lips. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my least favorite firestarter, Ayano."

Izumi smiled genuinely as she jogged over to the red head, who smiled back at the blue eyed twin. "Hey Ayano!"

"Hey!" Ayano smiled back, before glancing and frowning at Kasumi, expecting some form of greeting.

All that was received was a shrug, the raven haired girl's grin slipping to reveal her natural frown. "I would ask how your day was, but that would require me to give a damn."

Clenching her fists, Ayano basically had to chant her father's warning in her head, just to repel the instinct to blast her away. 'While she is here, under no circumstance am I to attack her. Under no circumstance am I to attack her… No attack… No attack…'

Ignorant of their friends controlled rage, Yukari and Nanase took the chance to swarm the two twins. "Wow, so you know Ayano?! How's that!" Nanase questioned, attacking them with excited question after question.

Standing before Izumi, Yukari turned to Ayano with a raised brow and smirk. "Ayano, you didn't tell me you were friends with girls from Suzukikara high. Naughty, naughty holding out on us."

Ayano folded her arms, but kept her glare focused on Kasumi when addressing her friend. "I didn't know what school they went to."

Answering Nanase's question, Izumi smiled nervously. "Oh, that. Our dad's friends with Ayano's dad, and he's letting us stay with the Kannagi's for a few weeks while our folks our out of town for a while," The girl coolly bended the truth, turning to her sister with a light shoulder bump. "Right Kasumi?"

"Hmm..." Rousing from her bored stupor, Kasumi, glanced at the two girls with apathetic cyan eyes. The black haired girl saw how uncomfortable the two were at this act and quickly averted her eyes. "Yeah." Then she smirked, looking up with mischief and stuffing her hands in her pockets. "Actually, our family is one of the most powerful water users and right now we're in the process of a 'peace treaty', considering Ayano attacked us. We're living with the Kannagi's until we are proven to get along." Glancing at the shocked Ayano, Kasumi smirked and spoke in a mocking tone. "Right Ayano?"

Ayano, still shocked, narrowed her eyes at the grinning water user. How could she talk about such delicate information with regular people? That's just too much, even if it was to rouse Ayano into attacking her.

Nanase widened her purple eyes in shock. "Wow, really?" Then suddenly her eyes sparkled and she clasped her hands in a surprised Kasumi's. "You guys are water users?! That's so cool."

Yukari was the next to speak, honey eyes dancing. "That is cool! No wonder you guys are in Suzukikara!" Suddenly the blond snapped her fingers, linking arms with the confused black haired girl. "I know, how 'bout we hang."

Linking with Kasumi's other arm, Nanase smiled a closed eye smile. "Great idea. Lets go to that cafe!" And the five then stared walking down the street, striking conversation.

Ayano stared at her friends wide eyed as they gushed over Kasumi, who stared at the two females with wide and confused cyan eyes; akin to a deer hearing a twig crack. Still staring ahead, her anger forgotten, the fiery red head couldn't help but find it strange how the girl, who came in cool and ready to cause trouble, was now timid and, dare she say, frightened, just by talking to others.

Without Ayano knowing, Izumi appeared, walking in step with the fire user, hands being her back in a relaxed manner as she suddenly spoke. "Kasumi may look cool and confident but, when it comes to people, she just get's really awkward." Ayano turned to the blue eyed girl as she spoke, a smile on her face. "Usually, she's really guarded around people, always insulting them and provoking them in some way, but, since your friends are so nice, I guess she was caught off guard by that; people are usually mean back."

Ayano scoffed, putting her hands behind her head. "No kidding." Looking back to Izumi, the amber eyed girl rose a brow, curious. "Why is Kasumi such a jerk anyways?"

Izumi chuckled at the fire users choice of words, finding them not far from the truth. "Well, you're no bucket of sunshine either," She started jokingly, earning a slight nudge. After that, the girls smile slowly fell, revealing an inner sadness. "No but, if I was being honest, I'd say she's like that to protect herself."

Befuddled, Ayano furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

Izumi looked the other way, hesitating on telling her. After a few seconds the black haired girl sighed; the reason Ayano and Kasumi got in that fight was because they misunderstood each other, and since Kasumi isn't willing to step up, her sister guessed that maybe she should give Ayano some pointers, just to help. Izumi crossed her arms over her chest, speaking softly, even though her sister was already ways ahead of the two. "Back home, Kasumi isn't really... You could say she's the black sheep of the family."

"The black sheep?" Ayano repeated. "How can that be? She's the next head of the family, isn't she?"

The blue eyed girl laughed dryly, her eyes trained on the ground, but Ayano thought she saw traces of guilt lingering in those pools of blue. "Not exactly. Like any other family, there can only be one head." Looking up at Ayano, Izumi gestured to herself, "I'm the future head of the Mizushima family, while Kasumi..." The girl looked ahead yet again at her distracted sister, the girl speaking and making the two laugh. Izumi continued in a glum fashion. "Kasumi's my bodyguard you can say."

Ayano took in this information before speaking again in rushed confusion. "But the other day, your dad said she was the future head..."

Izumi shook her head. "My father is a cruel man. He only said that as an insult. Before, when we were kids, Kasumi was supposed to become the future head, but, after our mother left, suddenly I was chosen as the head and Kasumi was ostracized, but forbidden to leave, not without permission from our father, who always denied that request. Even as my guard and as the strongest water user in our clan, my people still scowl and spit on Kasumi for reasons I don't know."

Ayano stared ahead at Kasumi, imagining a young black haired girl, with dreams of becoming a leader, suddenly having that taken from you, then having your own family shun you the next day. That would crush anyone, to the point of creating a wall between others and hiding from other cruel faces. But instead of shunning them back, Kasumi provokes them, becomes stronger than them, forcing them to acknowledge her, no matter what she did. At least with Kazuma they ostracized him because he was weak and banished him, but with Kasumi; she was forced to stay, forced to live with people she knew hated her for whatever reason. Ayano, gaze still focused on Kasumi, stared ahead at the girl with sympathy, before glancing at Izumi who was also staring at her cyan eyed sister. "Why did your mom leave?" Was her first question, as every thing Izumi has told her so far, stems from when her mother left.

The girl remained silent, shaking her head so a strand fell to her face. Glancing back, Izumi smiled, "That's something you're going to have to ask Kasumi."


	4. Chapter 4

At the Cafe, Nanase and Yukari laughed at something Kasumi said. While the black haired female sat between the two in confusion, Nanase's laughter died down as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Oh man, that's got to be the funniest story I've ever heard."

"Who knew your dad would send you off to an island all because you touched his hair," Yukari managed to chuckle out.

Izumi and Ayano sat across the three in the booth they shared, eating their deserts with little to no rush, somewhat because Ayano told her father she was spending time with the Mizushima twins and didn't want to hinder their seemingly growing relationship.

Izumi smiled at her cyan eyed sisters pout as the girl crossed her arms childishly. "Not my fault the guy acts like a girl, getting all defensive over his hair like that."

The girls laughed at her remark, causing Kasumi to laugh as well. Everyone's laughter died down, all except Ayano, who was still laughing wholeheartedly. She banged on the table, "Hahaha, man, that's great. Your dad's a swell guy." She snapped her fingers, "And speaking of your dad, what about your mom? Any interesting stories about your mom?"

The cyan eyed girl flinched at the mere mention of her mother, the act going unnoticed by Nanase and Yukari. Izumi glanced to Ayano, who stared ahead smiling at her flawless plan. Of course she would never realize what she was getting at, Ayano couldn't help but proudly pat herself on the shoulder; she could be like, a covert agent.

Meanwhile Izumi wanted to face-palm herself; if suspicious was a limit, that right there would've gone through the ceiling and into outer space, no way Kasumi wouldn't be _a little_ cautious.

Said girl eyed the amber eyed fire user questioningly, _what's her game?_ she thought, still reluctant to answer the question. Glancing to her left, Kasumi mumbled, "... It's hard to talk about someone who's barely there."

A simple sentence, but with so much resentment and melancholy, so well hidden, only Izumi could tell that it was even there; the others only heard sadness in her tone.

Ayano looked forward in understanding; her mother was rarely in her life as well, dare she say, she barely even knew the woman, so it wasn't hard to sympathize with her on such a difficult subject. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Izumi nodded in appreciation at the sincere apology, while Kasumi glared forward, ignoring Nanase and Yukari for the moment.

Was that pity in Ayano's eyes? Was Kasumi actually being looked down on, by a lowly fire user?! The girl clenched her teeth, fists shaking. _Don't you dare look down on me_, she growled in her mind.

Noticing her shaky hands, Izumi gasped when she saw the glass of soda in Kasumi's gasp was frozen solid, before inevitably shattering in a million frozen crystals.

Nanase and Yukari, along with other bystanders, jumped and stared at Kasumi with wide fearful eyes. Ice blue eyes glowing with unhindered rage, Kasumi remained silent as the temperature in the building dropped ten degrees. Only Ayano stared ahead with authority as she stood, staring at Kasumi when she spoke. "Izumi, get Yukari, Nanase, and everyone else out of here and go," She commanded.

The timid water user glanced at her sister for a moment, realized the intensity of the situation, nodded and left, convincing the others to go as well.

When Kasumi stood, Ayano finally spoke. "I don't know why you're so mad, but it's really stupid to use your ice out in the open like that."

The girl snorted, a cold smirk matching the intensity of her eyes, "Why the hell should I care? So what if a couple people feel a little chill because of me, not like they'll freeze over."

_Always acting so tough, like she doesn't care what anyone thinks_. Ayano furrowed her brows, all because she's an outcast in her own clan... Like Kazuma. Steeling her nerves, Ayano spoke loudly, "I know how it must feel, being treated as an outcast in your own-"

Kasumi laughed, shouting as realization started to creep on her face. "You? Understand me? How can someone like you, in your position understand... How did you know I was an outcast?" The black haired girl asked quietly, her eyes wide in confusion.

Ayano bit her lip, cursing her loose tongue now that she realized what she just said only fueled the fire even more; or ice in her case, now that the room was starting to freeze over.

"She told you didn't she." Kasumi stated, clenching her fists, her hands icing over with frozen sharp crystals. Lunging at the red head, she shouted, "SHE TOLD YOU!"

Without anytime to waste, Ayano dodged the otherwise deadly attack and went offensive. "Come forth Enraiha!" The amber eyed girl gripped her sword, staring ahead with that ever present defensive fire in her eyes. "Yes she told me, to try and get through to you!" Swinging her sword, she was surprised when Kasumi blocked it with her iced blocked hands, the ice creeping over her arms defensively, reflecting the flames like diamonds. "She knows you're hurt, not being able to grow up into what you want to be, yet unable to leave; it's killing you."

Kasumi closed her eyes, denying every word, before opening them back up, giving Ayano a cold glare. "You don't know anything!" Drawing one arm back, the other still struggling to hold Enraiha at bay - the flames already eating up the ice, Kasumi transformed her free frozen arm into a watery whip. Swinging her whip, Ayano felt something wet grab her leg before she was flung in the air and dropped back to the ground. Coughing out, Ayano struggled to hear Kasumi shouting at her as she approached. "Don't stand there and try to sympathize with me, it's insulting."

Standing, Ayano fell to one knee, gripping her side at the spiking pain in beat with her heart, staring up at Kasumi, who retained her glare, but her face was conformed into something miserable; pained; her shoulders shaking as her ice melted, revealing clenched fists.

"You don't... **No one** understands what its like, to live their life, hated by everyone around you, all because of who you are." Bringing a hand over her face, Kasumi stared ahead blankly. "Having your own father, calling you a monster, all because of what you can do, because of your mother..."

The door banged open, the ice that kept them shut shattering as wind gusted inwards, interrupting Kasumi's sentence. "Ayano!" Kazuma walked in, strutting towards a shocked Ayano, staring down at her with worried amber eyes. "Ayano," he breathed in relief, glad to see her still alive. He knew he felt a strong disturbance; a magic so strong as to affect him when he was nearly on the other side of town. If Izumi hadn't called, saying Ayano was in danger, he never would've connected the two and never would have shown up.

"Kazuma..." Ayano started, glancing up from her hunched position.

The wind user furrowed his brows, turning to Kasumi, who stared at him in the same fashion of frustration and anger. "I'm going to need you to leave, or else," Kazuma warned, blowing the wind to circle around him threateningly as he glared forward.

Kasumi crossed her arms, leaning back and tilting her head downwards, creating a dark shadow over her glare. "This is between me and her. Leave." The water gathered around herself, circling around her, licking up the ground and trying to lunge at Kazuma like a dog on a leash.

"Not gonna happen."

Kasumi widened her eyes in rage, feeling a burning anger within her mind. Clenching her head she repeated, "Leave!" in a more desperate tone that only Ayano picked up on.

Kazuma lifted his hand, "You wanna bark orders, fine. But it's your funeral." Suddenly Kazuma froze, his eyes widening in confusion. _I can't move!_

Seeing his suddenly halt, Ayano pressed forward. "Kazuma..."

"Just leave me alone." Kasumi whispered to herself, preventing herself from falling apart by gripping her hands to her forearms so tight her knuckles turned white. '_It's because of you our village is ruined_'. "Stop it..."

Kazuma grunted, feeling his body suddenly start to compress on itself. "...I can't move." He finally got out, forcing Ayano to stand, ignoring the pain in her side when she heard this. The man coughed blood when he was suddenly forced to float in the air.

_'I should've known a girl like her was going to cause trouble like this.'_ "I didn't mean it.." Kasumi fell to her knees, memories flooding back to her as her magic was slowly getting out of control; her emotions she kept at bay flowing out like a hurricane. _'Disgraceful daughter, just like your witch of a mother.'_ "I'm not..."

Kazuma screamed, feeling the first rib crack and Ayano screamed out his name, hearing the disgusting sound. Turning back to Kasumi, Ayano stepped forward with Enraiha, "Stop it, you're killing him!" More of his screams were heard as she jumped and shouted louder. "You're killing him!"

_...Demon child..._

_...Monster..._

_...Murderer..._

_...Promise me one thing..._

_...We should've killed her when..._

_...I should've gotten rid of you..._

_...You will never..._

_...A creature like you doesn't deserve respect..._

_...Let what they say get to you..._

_...A monster as head? Are you trying to make me vomit..._

_...Monster..._

_...Bain of the Mizushimas..._

_...Demon..._

_...Killer..._

_...I..._

_...Don't touch it..._

_...love..._

_...run or she'll kill us too..._

_...you._

"Stop it!"


	5. Chapter 5

_The village was cold that night, forcing young Kasumi to fall in and out of sleep, tossing and turning until she realized something amiss. Feeling around the bed, she felt the lingering heat on the mattress surface. Groggily sitting up, the girl glanced around, finding Izumi and her father hugging each other, while Kasumi was alone, their mother missing._

_"Mommy?" The five year old questioned, crawling out of bed, the cold hardwood floors causing her to shiver as she grabbed her red and green plaid blanket and stuffed lion, searching for her mother. Walking down the hall, she looked out the wide windows, seeing a full moon outside and gawked in awe; the moon was red tonight. Reaching the back door, she remained on the porch, away from the snow, gazing up at the moon in a trance until her mothers soft voice spoke from before her._

_"Beautiful, isn't it? It's a Lunar Eclipse." Glancing over, the girl rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, one hand holding her blanket tight and lion tighter. Her mother was a beautiful woman, the true idol of the Mizushima clan; beautiful blue hair reaching her back, icy blue eyes and a warm smile. She was kind, thoughtful; she kept their father in line when his temper got the better of him and held the clan together like glue, staying away from anything relating to war or destruction. The woman held her arms out for the girl, who smiled and ran into her mothers arms as they both continued looking up into the moon. "On the night of a Lunar Eclipse, magic is said to happen."_

_Kasumi giggled, "I know momma; like water magic and fire magic."_

_The woman smiled at her daughter, stretching out her palm, holding Kasumi on her hip. "Of course darling, but do you know another magic, one that only few in the Mizushima's can do?"_

_Kasumi shook her head, confused. Something not even daddy could do?_

_The woman smiled, sitting on the snow and pulling out a tiny needle, pricking her own finger, blood flowing out, until suddenly it started to float and morph into a sphere. Kasumi looked on at the glowing red sphere in awe, the beautiful red popping out against the pure white. "Blood magic." Holding out Kasumi's palm, handing her the needle, the woman smiled. "Can you do it?" Looking up, she saw her mothers stark blue eyes, now shinning red in the light, the color itself changed._

_"Me?" Kasumi pondered, causing her mother to laugh softly._

_"But of course, after all, you are very strong." Giving her an encouraging smile, the woman floated the sphere to her daughters eyes, morphing it into the shape of her stuffed lion. "I know you can do it. Just let it go; water is an emotional sort, and with blood, you need very powerful emotions to control it, release yourself, but embrace your inner soul." Kasumi never did understand what her mother meant, and figured she'd just have to be older to understand._

_"Witch."_

_Kasumi and her mother darted their heads towards the intruders, a group of four men; the clan leaders advisers. Kasumi hid the needle behind her back, her lion falling to the ground, while the blood fell to the snow, some staining the toy, while her mother stood, hands folded before her, head held high._

_The elder of the four stepped up, eyes wide as the others, in fear. "Of course, how could we not see this; a woman like you, coming out of nowhere, influencing our leader with your sorcery."_

_"That's not how it works and you know it," the woman barked coldly, glaring at the man._

_"You bear the mark of the cursed; you are a disease of this village and will be treated as such, no matter what rank you have. Men, arrest her."_

_"What?!" The two men grabbed the woman as she struggled against their grips. "You can't do this! I deserve a fair trial! Take me to the clan head!"_

_The elder sneered as she approached, Kasumi staring ahead with fear and confusion. "Demons have no trials." Glancing down at Kasumi he waved his hand for the third. "Grab that one as well, fabricate some story or another in the morning, tell them... 'The Kannagi's kidnapped Shizuno and Kasumi', we do need to go to war after all."_

_Shizuno twisted and turned, giving a frantic angered glance at the man approaching Kasumi. "Don't you dare touch my daughter!"_

_The man laughed, brown eyes glinting like a demons, reaching for Kasumi. "Try and stop me, witch."_

_Shizuno gritted her teeth. She swore to herself that she would never use her magic against others, no matter what. Instead, she shouted. "STOP IT-!"_

_"Silence!" The elder slapped Shizuno, cutting her lip, the droplets falling and staining the snow even more as Kasumi stared at the events with wide eyes. "Grab her!"_

_Without thinking, Kasumi stepped back, but tripped, the needle stabbing the palm of her hand, causing her to scream and cry. The man picked her up by the arm, "Oh shut-!?" The blood seeping from her bleeding palm dripped before solidifying into red ice and impaling him in the chest in three different places, killing the man. Kasumi looked up at the man with demonic red eyes, not only the irises, but her entire eyes were blood red, glowing like a demon. The man grunted in fear, eyes wide as he muttered. "D-demon... Monster..."_

_"Kasumi..." Shizuno whispered, frightened as well. She suspected her daughter had the ability to control blood, and wanted to help her control it before this... Before her daughters powers could awaken on its own and overwhelm her.._

_Stepping back from the bleeding man, blood falling on her face, Kasumi touched her face, eyes wide in fear as she looked around, trying to focus. Everything was red, everything was on fire, but ripples still appeared, as if it was drowning too; drowning in blood. Finding her mother through the red haze, she cried, "Mommy..."_

_The elder stepped back in disgust, pointing a finger. "A demon! Kill the demon child!"_

_The two men that held Shizuno, now ran towards Kasumi, who stepped back, confused and alarmed, not knowing what to do or how to do it. Eyes turning red, Shizuno raised her hands at the two men. "Stop!" Their muscles stopped working, stiffing up as if in rigor mortis,causing the men fall to the ground, unable to move, even when their would-be prisoner, walked passed them and kneeled before her daughter. "Kasumi..." She whispered softly, moving to hug her daughter as tight as could be, the young girl crying._

_"W-what's happening to me!?"_

_Shizuno teared up as well, and held tighter, before releasing her. "You're a blood magic user. You're like me. But you're not a monster, no matter what everyone says. You're amazing, I love you, Kasumi. Remember that."_

_The elder, who was frozen in fear, now moved into action, slipping a knife from his robes as he ran towards the woman. Lunging the knife, he suddenly halted, eyes wide as he screamed when his body imploded on him. Blood rained everywhere, but remained untouched on Kasumi nor her mother, who used a barrier as she continued. "Promise me one thing.. That when you get older, you won't be anything like me."_

_Confused, Kasumi tilted her head, looking down at her mothers shaking hands. Touching the cold hands, thinking her mother was cold, she asked, "What do you mean mommy?"_

_Before she could answer, Shizuno saw movement out of the corner of her eyes and pushed her daughter out of the way as a stream of ice needles flew in the wind. Glancing over, Kasumi watched as her father stood from the back porch in his silk blue kimono night robes, hand facing and pointing two fingers at Shizuno, readying another rain of needles. "Shizuno Kanajimo Mizushima, I here-by place you under arrest for murder and use of forbidden magic."_

_Kasumi was frightened as her mother glared at her father, the first time she's ever seen a look so over flowing with anger as to radiate from her, the ground freezing. "You say its forbidden, yet I was born using it. Are you saying I too must be treated as such; feared and disregarded, in the dark."_

_"I have no room to debate with you, but you murdered fellow clansmen and must be taken in."_

_Walking towards him, Takumi tensed as Shizuno spoke. "Even if I am taken on trial, there's no telling what the council will do. You'll have me imprisoned, yet they will send hunters to kill me, not because I murdered an elder, but because I can do something they can't. What one can't control, they're afraid of and ultimately try to kill. Let me tell you how it's going to go." Reaching her husband, she looked him in the eyes, "I will walk out that gate, and you'll let me go, or kill me, those are your choices." Stepping back, she walked, calmly and surely._

_Startled, Takumi shook, hesitating. "S-stop! Shizuno!... You leave me no choice." Raising a hand, Takumi swallowed harshly, "You had your choice."_

_Ice gathering in his palm, he prepared to shoot, aiming just right, but a second before he shot, his arm jerked to the side. "No daddy!" The ice missed, passing Shizuno's head._

_The shocked woman, stopped for a moment before continuing outside the compound. Takumi stared after his former wife before turning his head towards his daughter, the small child still holding out her shaking arm, the red still in her eyes, startling the man as he lowered his arm, realizing what happened. Soon, other members gathered and watched as Kasumi stared around her in fear, the red leaving her eyes, but others still murmured, witnessing the blood surrounding her and on her face._

_"Look at this." "So much blood." "Isn't that Kasumi, Takumi's daughter?" "Did you hear the guard?! He said Shizuno used blood magic on him!" "And Kasumi, she used blood magic and killed another!" "A beast." "Demon." "Monster."_

_Covering her ears, Kasumi ran to her father, clutching his robes. "Daddy! Make them stop, I'm sorry, please, just make them stop."_

_Closing his eyes, Takumi moved away from Kasumi. "You disgrace me." Those were the only words he said to her that night as others jeered and took her away._

_A room of black with dry air. A place monsters were taken to be broken. Blood still in her. That was all she had. Herself._

A cold watery whip stung the side of Kasumi's cheek, releasing her from the darkest depths of her mind back to reality.

Kazuma fell, falling into a bed of water as Ayano darted her head at the third party that screamed.

Izumi stood at the door of the cafe - _how long has she been there?_ Ayano wondered -her hand outstretched into Kazuma's direction, her other holding a whip with an iced tip. Stepping inside, Ayano was shocked to find others run in, quickly moving to Kasumi's position.

Glancing over to Kasumi, she saw the girl still had her head tilted to the side, her eyes wide in disbelief, as red started to come out of the cut of her cheek. "Stop the blood before it uses it!" She heard someone yell, another moving in to heal the superficial wound.

Walking forward, Izumi nodded at Kazuma, his entire being emerged in water. Ayano was about to protest, fearing he might drown until the pixie haired girl cut in. "Don't worry, I made sure that he had enough air in his system to breath while the water heals him; an old Mizushima clan trick."

Tilting her head at Kasumi, Ayano gestured gravely. "And what about her?" Looking back, she saw Izumi was just as startled by the events that just transpired. "Did she do that to Kazuma! How can someone do something like..."

"Because she's a demon, just like her mother." Turning, the three -Izumi, Ayano, and even Kazuma- saw Takumi Mizushima himself, walking through the door towards the youngsters. As he passed, he glanced at his daughter, chains around her hands and neck, connected to poles, walking as she was blind folded; hiding her demon red eyes. His frown deepened, before returning to normal and speaking to the man in charge of her capture. "Be sure she doesn't escape or die on the way; she still deserves a fair trial."

The man spoken to, appeared shocked, ready to argue, but closed his mouth. As a Mizushima underling, he knew the best course of action was to follow every order barked at him, down to the letter. "Understood sir."

Continuing to Ayano and the others, he was unperturbed as the fiery red head stepped up to him in anger and disbelief. "Did you seriously just call your own daughter a 'demon'?!"

Expressionless, he spoke, hands behind his back. "I call her for what she is; a demon. A witch among the Mizushima's who uses blood magic for her own gain. She is a being unworthy of joining our clan, but too dangerous to let out in the world."

About to counter, Ayano was interrupted by the quiet voice of Izumi, her concentration gone, forcing the bed of water Kazuma laid in to disperse. "Is that why mom left? So she wouldn't be chained to the clan, kept prisoner in her own clan that hates her for who she is?"

"No, your mother left after murdering fellow clansmen and-"

"That's a lie, mom would never..."

"You didn't even know her-"

"And neither did you! You don't know what happened that night, and you can't ask mom about it, so do yourself a favor and ask Kasumi. I'm sure she knew mom better than you ever did." Izumi suddenly shouted, startling everyone remaining in the building. Clenching her fists, Izumi stared up at her father with glossy blue eyes of defiance, before moving past him in anger, water users stepping back, wary of her anger.

Staring back at his daughter, Ayano walked past, carrying Kazuma. "Wait." Kazuma stated, forcing Ayano to halt when they were beside Takumi. "Your daughter, do you really think she's a monster?" Hearing no response, he smirked, standing by himself as he limped away. "Then there's hope for you yet."

Standing, the black haired man glanced to Ayano as she stared upward at him, neither dared to speak. Ayano was first to break the silence. "What's going to happen to her?"

Takumi sighed, seeming unsure after what Kazuma just said. "Even though no one was killed, there's no guarantee what the grand council will do after all that's happened. Most likely, they'd want her dead." Ayano stared at him in horror until she realized he was clenching his fists. "But I won't let that happen." Looking upwards with pride he spoke again. "As leader of the Mizushima, I am under an obligation to ensure my people get a fair trial."

"And I'm sure leaving her confined where everyone hates her is fair. Where she lives her days surrounded by hate and judgement?"

Takumi almost seemed offended. "Better than having her in the dark the rest of her life."

"What do you mean?"

"None of your concern. From here on out, this is Mizushima business, so stay out of it." Without another word, he walked away, leaving more questions than answers for Ayano to figure out.


	6. Chapter 6

Upon returning to her home, Ayano immediately went to her father, reporting everything that happened, down to the last detail. Slamming her hand on the ground she demanded, "We have to go and rescue Kasumi!"

Kneeling before his daughter, the gray haired leader sighed, knowing that the answer he was about to give her was not the one she wanted. "Ayano, if what you're saying is true, then the Kannagi clan has no right to interfere in another clans business, especially if it was the leader that told you so."

Ayano had no response, her amber eyes widening in surprise. "But father..." Ayano started, shocked that her father was so unwilling do to anything.

Closing his eyes, he stood and turned from her. "I'm sorry Ayano, but there is nothing we can do for her, this matter is out of our hands."

Staring at the floor, slumped and defeated, Kazuma spoke, pushing himself off the wall. "Actually that's not true, we can do something."

Looking up, both the red haired girl and green eyed man quirked a brow at the sudden statement, forcing the now smirking wind user to explain.

"I mean, Ayano and I serve as witnesses to the whole thing, we could go to their compound and testify for Kasumi. Her father did say there was going to be a trial."

Standing up, Ayano smiled. "It's not what I was thinking, but it's a start." Turning back to her father, Ayano spoke, her face determined and amber eyes equally so. "Father, I'm going to do this. I'm going to save Kasumi. I have to." Without waiting for a response, she made her way to the door, hand reaching for the handle to slide it open.

Jugo stared at his daughter, shocked at first, then with admiration at her sense of justice. He knew that letting a girl die just because she was different was wrong, but he didn't want to risk a war between two powerful clans, risking the lives of many in his family. The gray haired man smiled, "Very well," He started, causing Ayano to halt in her movement. "You have my blessing."

Ayano turned, her amber eyes shining at her fathers acceptance, but before she could thank him, he continued on, a grin on his lips.

"Although, I am concerned on how you believe you can help, if you don't know where their compound is..."

Kazuma and Ayano glanced at each other, before both grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, we might need some help there..." Ayano admitted humbly.

Miyazaki, Japan. That was where the infamous Mizushima clan compound was, located off the main beach, private and cut off from everything else close to the edge of a cliff, just short of the mountain side; vegetation grew thick and tall so no one could see anything except the compounds blue roofs and high gray gates. The village like clan was lively as ever, ecstatic at having their future head back in the clan, but no word on her sister, no one dared to talk about it.

At the edge of the village, hidden by thick undergrowth, a small shed was there, but opening the door would lead one down a set of stairs that seemed to go down and down forever, into the darkness if you weren't prepared. And when you finally reach the bottom, the only way to go was forward.

At the end of the long hall, one would find a bared prison cell, a stack of hay at the corner, with wool blanket and nothing else. No light. No wind. No water. No other living being except the prisoner that laid inside. Kasumi Mizushima, who already spent her days here in this prison early in her childhood, more days than she'd care to admit.

Laying in the darkness, she didn't bother to turn at the sound of the door opening from the distance. Instead, she counted the seconds that went by until who ever it was, would finally show up. "1...2...3...4..."

Takumi walked down the narrow passage, light in hand, steeling himself for what he was about to say to one of his own daughters. When the man was a few feet away, he heard her daughters voice, counting the seconds that went by.

"98...99...100...101...102...103..." She stopped counting as soon as he stopped before her cell; or cage as she liked to call it.

From the light of the lantern, Takumi could assume that she was adapting well to her old environment; she was still eating the food that came down, hair cleaned, no dark bags under her eyes. It was a big improvement from when she was a small child, her first month in there; she would cry, beg, throw tantrums, not sleep for days nor eat, until finally, she just broke.

The man furrowed his eyes in shame, in those days, he truly felt like a monster, but he had no choice; the people wanted to feel safe and this was the only solution he could think of, as a clan leader alone.

Turning her head to stare at him, eyes still closed, Kasumi spoke. "If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time you've ever been down here. Am I wrong?" She opened her eyes, revealing apathetic cyan eyes that reflected the lanterns light like a cats. "Father."

Takumi made it so he didn't seem affected by her words, but truth be told, he was surprised; she seemed so cool and collected, despite possibly getting the death sentence. In an even baritone, he spoke. "I came only to inform you of your trial. It starts tonight, under the full moon."

Kasumi snorted, moving her head. "They're not wasting anytime with this now are they?" She retorted calmly with a smirk, as if she were talking about the weather.

Takumi furrowed his eyes. "Of course not, you attacked members of the Kannagi clan, how can that **not** call for immediate action!"

The black haired girl's smirk faltered, as she remained staring up at the ceiling. "... They're gonna kill me, aren't they?"

Takumi was momentarily shocked at his daughters mournful tone, and couldn't reply immediately like she wanted.

Taking his lack of response as an answer, she gave a sad smile. "Awe well, doesn't matter anyways right. After all, I am a monster in their eyes. Always a monster..." A sudden thought passed the girls mind as she glanced to her father. "...Were you really going to do it?"

The tanned skinned man rose a brow, confused. "Do what?"

_"...You leave me no choice." Raising a hand, Takumi swallowed harshly, "You had your choice." _Kasumi remembered that moment very well, the moment her father was seemingly prepared to kill her own mother, his own wife, because of a misunderstanding. Looking towards her father, she repeated, "Kill her. Were you really going to kill mom?"

Takumi was shocked at the change in subject, but he did have to think it over. It's been years since he's thought of that day, that sad faithful day under the blood moon. He didn't know if he really did have it in him to kill the love of his life. He had everything right, the angle, the force, but not the determination to go through with it. Had is daughter not willed his body to move, that attack would have never resurfaced. After a while, the man turned from his daughter, unwilling to look her in the eyes as he responded. "I should have." _It could have saved you from a fate such as this._

The girl sighed. "They should just get this trial over with already. It's so boring here."

Now that made the man turn. "Are you joking?! Do you consider your life so insignificant as to **want** it be **taken** from you! You are a Mizushima, you take responsibility for your actions, not wallow in apathy, as if this as nothing to do with you, when it has everything to do with you!"

Kasumi glared at the offending man. "What makes you think you have the right to lecture me like a father, when all my life you've been everything but one!" She sat up. "To you - to everyone - I'm just a monster! When I needed you the most, you shunned me and locked me in a cage for five years, then sent me on an island for three! You keep me, surrounded by people who want to kill me! And yet you think you have the right to lecture me on what I should do with my own life?!" Her glare, now burning bright, burned into Takumi's mind, as did her words. "You disgust me, I hate you so much I don't even need to use my blood magic to see red!"

The man was so shocked, he wasn't even aware that one of the clansmen appeared, shouting at him, until the man placed a hand on his shoulder. "My lord, members of the Kannagi clan have infiltrated the compound!"


	7. Chapter 7

As Kazuma and Ayano ran, ducking behind buildings and hiding in bushes, Kazuma just had to ask, "Did you really have to attack that guard?" Referring to the man guarding the main gate that refused to allow the two Kannagi's in, until finally, Ayano punched him so hard as to make him pass out.

The girl was silent, pressing against the blue building, as water-users ran pass them, and when they did, she spoke, irritation pointing towards Kazuma. "Well it wouldn't have been a big deal if that bastard didn't keep us from entering!" They stopped in a small garden area, catching their breaths. "Can... You... Sense her..?" The red head managed between gasps of air.

Kazuma shook his head, quickly recovering from the mad dash. Though he was a wind-user, good at tracking people down, he was still having a hard time pin-pointing the girls location. "Only faintly... She's still far, I can't get a good read on her."

"Who are you?"

Both jumped at the high pitched voice from above, looking up at a small child sitting in the tree's. The child appeared to be a toddler, around five years of age, with dark tanned skin, black hair and coal black eyes. Ayano was surprised; he looked like a mini-me of the clan leader, Takumi. The teenager jumped as the impatient boy repeated his question, this time annoyed.

"I said, who are you?" He jumped, craning his neck to look up at the two. "What are ya, deaf?"

Ayano growled; he was disrespectful too, like Kasumi. No doubt this was their little brother. "Now that's-!"

Kazuma clasped a hand on the young womans mouth, sensing powerful magic-users close by. He quickly glanced at the boy; he was smart, no doubt he'd tell his people where they went. The brunette grinned, but he's young too, so hopefully, he's naive. Kneeling next to the boy, Kazuma smirked, "We're friends from the Kannagi clan. Right now we're playing hide and seek with a couple of your people, you mind helping us out a bit?"

The boy gave the two a suspicious glance, crossing his arms and puffing his cheeks. "Hmmm..." Then the young man suddenly smiled, revealing a row of pearly whites, minus one tooth. "Sure! I can do that!"

Not long, a Mizushima ran into the garden, glancing around until he saw the young boy playing in the pond. "Young Master!" The boy turned, "Have you seen any suspicious characters running along these roads, a man and a woman?"

The boy glanced into the tree, startling Ayano and Kazuma, before nodding his head, standing to face the man. "Actually yeah!" He then pointed opposite of the tree, "They went that way!"

The older clansman nodded his thanks before dashing away, allowing Kazuma and Ayano to reveal themselves. Kazuma smirked, "Young master, huh?"

The boy nodded. "Yup, my uncles the Clan Leader." He then looked up with proud eyes. "My mommy's his twin, people always say I look just like him!"

Ayano smiled and patted the boys head, "I'll bet, say..." She clasped her hands together, giving him a soft pleading look. "You mind doing us one more little favor?"

The boy tilted his head, wondering what it was they wanted.

The red head kneeled before him. "See, we're actually looking for someone, a friend. Kasumi."

The boy tilted his head. "Kasumi, you mean the blood-bender?" He frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Why would you want that monster?"

Ayano was taken aback by the malice of the boys tone, staring at him wide-eyed. "Monster...?"

The young one nodded. "Well, yeah, monster." He crossed his arms and spoke intelligently. "My mommy said that when she was my age, she killed lots of people in our clan, with her blood magic, and blood magic is a sign of evil in our clan. So she's a monster."

Kazuma frowned and crossed his arms. "So they say. But have you ever seen her kill anyone?"

This caused the boy to ponder. He looked up at the sky in thought. "Well... No, but..."

"So really, you're just listening to rumors heard by people who barely understand anything beyond these walls." The brown haired man kneeled to eye level. "Like how some people outside don't understand your water magic, right?"

The child was taken aback. After a moment of silence, he sighed out, seemingly guilty. "I guess you're right." He gave them a serious stare with his coal black eyes. "Well, I guess I should help, after all, Kasumi is sort of like my cousin or whatever." Walking away, he turned when he saw that Kazuma nor Ayano moved. "You coming or what?"

Ayano couldn't help but be annoyed with the boy as she followed, whispering to Kazuma. "Geez, for a cousin, he sure does act alot like Kasumi."

Kazuma couldn't help but feel the same; he nodded before speaking to the young boy. "So, how close are you to Kasumi?"

The boy pursed his lips. "Not that close; mommy didn't like it when we played together." He turned with a mischievous glint to his coal eyes. "But she was a lot more fun than Izumi." Turning back around he grinned, "She wasn't afraid to push me to my best during training..." He frowned, "But then... I saw her use blood magic on an outsider." Shaking his head, he stopped before a dirt path and pointed. "She's over there. Just go to the shed and she'll be the only one in there."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes, suspicion overflowing his senses. "For a shed, it sure does hide her presence well."

The young boy smirked, backing away, "You'll see why?"

Running off, Ayano turned, "Hey!" The young one stopped and stared at the fire user, who smiled down at him. "We never got your name."

The black haired child grinned, giving a wave. "Kei. My name is Kei Mizushima." Before running off again.

Walking towards the hidden shed, Ayano stopped and glared at who was there, the older dark skinned man narrowed his eyes in return. The spirited young lady clenched her fists, shaking as her eyes were aflame. "Takumi Mizushima..."

The man in question merely glared at her, hands behind his back in a rigid military-like stance. "Ayano Kannagi. Kazuma. We've been waiting for you."


	8. Chapter 8

A gentle wind blew from between the three of them before five other water users emerged from the vegetation around them, slowly and steadily, keeping their gazes locked on the offending fire and wind user. Meanwhile, Takumi, the leader of the Mizushima Clan, glared at them with a tight frown.

Kazuma grinned, leaning close to Ayano, who kept her eyes locked on the elder water user. "Something tells me they're not gonna just let us walk…" The red head was silent, but agreed with him; if they were going to get to Kasumi, it would be through a pretty bloody fight.

As the two young adults remained standing, with no hint of backing down, Takumi crossed his arms, his tight black shirt stressing as his muscles tightened. "I take it you're not going to back down?"

"And I take it that you plan on letting your daughter die," Ayano snapped back, her glare intensifying as the man made no indication at being offended.

The black haired water leader retorted, tone stressed: "Kasumi will be put under trial, as are our laws for her actions."

"What she did was a mistake, we get that," Ayano started in understanding before her tone started to rise dangerously high. "But that doesn't excuse the fact that the people judging her, are also afraid of her and will do whatever it takes to get rid of her! Even you understand that!"

"Kasumi is dangerous!"

"And she is your daughter!" Stepping up, Ayano narrowed her eyes.

Pushing the flaming red head back, Kazuma spoke, raising a hand lightly. "Mind if I cut in?" Without waiting for a reply he continued, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Look, I get what you mean, and I understand that what she can do is dangerous. However, frankly your people are all idiots."

"What did you say?!" One of the surrounding water users snapped, his blue eyes narrowed, while the other four glared just as heatedly.

Smirking Kazuma shrugged. "What can I say, I speak what I see, and all I see are cowardly idiots willing to kill one of their own instead of growing her to be one of their finest warriors." Frowning Kazuma glared at their leader, Kasumi's father. "And you're the biggest one of them all – willing to kill your daughter to temporarily please your people. But is there justice? Of course not! There is never any justice when an innocent girl is taken from this world simply because people fear her."

Takumi unfolded his arms, confused at his statement. "Kasumi attacked you, crushing your body from the inside with her forbidden abilities, and yet you still name her 'innocent'?"

"Of course as her father, you should know. Then again you are the man that locked her away, so maybe not. However, Kasumi is innocent; she didn't mean to hurt anyone." The brown haired wind user pointed an accusing finger towards the shocked coal eyed man. "If you really need to blame someone, look in the mirror! As her father – hell as her leader – you people should've trained her to hone her skills properly, then none of this would've ever happened. But no, what do you do? You push her away, distance her from the ones that are supposed to care for her and be looked at for guidance. She can't control what she does because none of you were there to teach her. She didn't need to be stopped, she needed help!"

An offended water user stepped towards Kazuma, readying an attack. "How dare—"

"Halt." Takumi spoke up, startling the subordinate. Giving the amber eyed man a steady glance, the black haired man stood taller, but with a somber expression. "What he says is the truth. It is a collective responsibility to support each other in our darkest times, Kasumi more so. Yet we pushed her, forced her to learn by her own faltered training and now it has become a blight on our house hold." Turning to one of the Mizushima's by the shed, he ordered. "Go get Kasumi, we'll have her trial now."

"What?" Ayano remarked, shocked at how effective Kazuma's outburst was.

Takumi nodded as a man walked down the steps of the shed to do as he was told. "I know that the people of my clan are biased in their judgement, but with the Kannagi's aid, I hope to take her there for her trial, and be judged fairly. Besides, it was one of your members that was offended."

Kazuma scoffed, offended. "Sorry, buddy, but I just work for them. Not really a member."

Ayano rolled her eyes at that while Takumi simply waved it off. "Technicalities; you are still connected to the Kannagi's, so she will be sent there while preparations are made."

Making her way up, Kasumi overheard the last part of the conversation and quirked a brow. "I'm going to stand trial at the Kannagi compound?" Before she could question why, she made a good guess when she realized that Ayano and Kazuma were present. "Oh, firestarter, wind-pusher, what are you bundles of dicks doing here?"

Ayano twitched, clenching her fists as she gave a strained laugh. "Saving you obviously, you ungrateful…" She mumbled the last part of her sentence, anger brimming.

Kasumi took in a breath, her eyes wide in confusion as she glanced between the red head and amber eyed wind user. "But… Why? I mean, I was a dick to you and I hurt Kazuma why…"

"Let's just say, you're not as bad as you make yourself out to be and leave it at that." Kazuma interrupted, giving the flustered girl a smirk to calm her.

Ayano smiled as well. "Besides, it was my fault as well. I kind of provoked you without meaning to, and for that I'm sorry."

The black haired youth sucked in her lips before giving the two a wide grin, cyan eyes shining as she ran over and hugged them both. "Oh man! You fire users really aren't that great of dicks are you!" Pulling away, Kasumi took out her hand to Kazuma. "Sorry for nearly crushing you to death."

The wind user chuckled, taking the shorter girls hand. "No worries, just don't let it happen again."

Nodding, Kasumi glanced towards her father, her smile falling into a frown as she walked over, holding her head high. Reaching the tall tanned water user, the pale skinned daughter spoke. "Okay, let's do this the usual way." Every time she was relocated, her father always gave the order for her to be bound, hands behind her back and a collar connected to a metal rod, so the holder could guide her to a car or to her new place on the grounds.

Shockingly, the elder man gave a small smile patting his daughters head. "Not this time. Just… Go ahead and travel with Ayano and Kazuma, I'm sure they are more than capable enough to keep you in check."

Cyan eyed glanced upward in a wide stare. "A-are you sure?" Before a wide grin flashed as Kasumi clasped her hands. "For real! No chains!" She spun around to a shocked Ayano and Kazuma, fist held in the air. "Alright! Let's freaking go!"

Walking out the gate, young Kai stared out at them with a small smile as his cousin was set free, yet a more malicious glance was set on the retreating Mizushima daughter. One promising a swift and brutal 'justice'.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ugh, you cannot believe the food they even offered." Kasumi continued on, her cheery disposition never faltering. "Dis-gust-ing! I was starved to death."

Ayano chuckled rolling her eyes. "I highly doubt that; you were only in there half a day."

Walking behind the two, Kazuma gave a ghost of a smile at how well the two element users were getting along. Before, because of their similar personalities, they never saw eye to eye. But now, thanks to spending enough time to understand each other, they were the best of friends; save Kasumi's obscene insults and Ayano's flaming temper, they were like two peas in a pod.

As they discussed (more like argued) over the weather, the amber eyed wind-user, flashed his eyes to his left. There was something following them. Whoever it was, they didn't want to be found, but they must've not been wind-users if Kazuma was able to sense them so easily.

Turning around, Kazuma leapt to the right as a volley of frozen arrows shot from one of the trees bordering the park. "Watch out!" He called before attempting to destroy the ice by blasting wind at it.

As the air around them suddenly blew, Kasumi rose a hand and stopped the ice with her own magic, reversing its trajectory back to the owner at twice the speed as before.

Not long after, a figure jumped from the tree and onto the ground, facing the three with a shrouded glare directed at Kasumi. It was an old man, his face winkled and carved with deep scars, wearing a white robe with blue cuffs and a blue kanuushi. His eyes a dark blue color, dimmed with age, though the fire of rage still dwelled with in.

"Another friend of yours?" Kazuma guessed, judging by the way the old man stared souly at the cyan eyed girl who merely smirked, getting in a defensive position.

"You could say that… This is old man Kenshi Yamamoto; he's the one that tried to kill my mother."

Ayano stared at the man wide eyed, before turning her gaze to a furious Kasumi. "Tried to… He's a priest!"

"He's the elder consultant of our clan; The most well-respected advisors of my father. He uses that position to manipulate the laws and seeks to isolate our clan from any other, including the Kannagi."

"But of course who would believe a demon child over their voice of reason," The old man spoke out, preparing another volley of ice. "Young Kannagi's, if you wish to leave with your lives, I suggest you let me handle the judgement of our own, as it should be."

Kazuma narrowed his gaze, planting his feet firm into the ground. "And if we refuse?"

Kenshi grinned, expecting such a response, "Then may Tsuki-Yomi smile upon your death, for it was a righteous act." Charging at the shocked group, Kasumi rose an ice barrier in an attempt to halt his advance. However, that did little to stop him, as the fellow water user manipulated Kasumi's own wall of ice into water and moved to entrap the group, engulfing them in water.

Furrowing her brows, Kasumi held the water at bay, creating an empty center where the water was supposed to drown them. Puffing, the black haired girl growled, "We're just going to go around in circles like this."

"Then let me try," Ayano called, stepping up, clapping her hands together. "Come forth, Enraiha!" She bellowed, extending her hands as a sword of flames suddenly appeared before solidifying into a golden hilted weapon.

Noticing a flame in the center of the water, the elder water-user rose a brow before jumping back as steam erupted, followed by a stream of fire. "Shit..." He mumbled, creating an ice barrier as another bolt of fire came his way.

Standing back, Kasumi crossed her arms. As strong as Ayano was, she was still young and has yet to reach her full potential, while Kenshi has years of training under his belt. Witnessing the elder man preform attack after attack, varying in water and ice, Kasumi narrowed her eyes as she saw the red haired fire-user buckle under the pressure, the fight longer than she expected. They were going to need a lot more than fire to beat this guy.

Looking down at her hands, Kasumi frowned down at her blue veins. Maybe…

A hand appeared over hers. Looking up Kasumi frowned at the serious glance Kazuma threw her way. "Don't." Looking back up at Ayano's battle, he continued. "IF anyone can defeat that guy, it's Ayano."

Kasumi looked back at the battle and smiled. Apparently the old man wasn't going to last much longer, his movements already sluggish and forced. He was right, she just needed a bit more faith.

That was when it happened. Right when Kenshi was charging at Ayano, ice fist pulled back, he suddenly stopped. His dire screams echoed throughout the empty park as he twitched ever so slightly before suddenly, he blood came out of him and froze. Blood red icicles were now present coming out of his skin, embedded in the ground so he was still standing.

Eyes wide, Ayano turned to Kasumi, confused and furious, only to find the girl in a similar state of confusion. Her eyes were their normal cyan blue, but more constricted. "What the hell was that?" The red head demanded, her voice shaking slightly.

"That my dear was self-defense." Turning, all eyes narrowed at the woman who sauntered over, head held high as the wind gently blew through her long blue hair, icy blue eyes clear with dignity and conviction. "The only way to ensure your freedom, the only way to make him stop pursuing Kasumi, was to kill him."

Cyan eyes round with disbelief, Kasumi shook from where she stood. "N-no way…"

The woman smiled, her own cyan eyes now holding warmth. "It's good to see you gain, 'Sumi."

Swallowing a dry gulp, Kasumi wanted to ask so much. Why did she leave her? Has she been here the whole time? Why didn't she see Kasumi before? All these angry questions, all these negative emotions she wanted to throw at the woman, suddenly vanished as soon as she came face to face with the real deal. With her mother here, Kasumi simply ran towards her mother and hugged her. "Mom! I missed you so much!"

Her mother gave a sad smile as she returned the hug, just as tight. "Me too dear. Me too."

"So your Kasumi's mom, the first blood-user?" Kazuma wondered, leaning back on one foot.

Kasumi's mother nodded, pulling away from her daughter. "Yes, I am." Bowing she continued. "My name is Shizuno and as you said, I wield blood." Returning to a standing position, Shizuno spoke. "After I heard about Kasumi's offense, I traveled here as fast as I could. Then I saw her walking with you, people of the Kannagi. I was confused at first, until Kenshi came by." To Ayano, she continued, "I actually came here to take Kasumi with me."

"What?!" Kasumi and Ayano shouted in confusion.

Shizuno smiled, "Kasumi is unable to control her powers alone. I know a tribe in the east from here who can help Kasumi control these abilities, just as I can." Sighing, the woman turned her gaze to Kasumi, "The truth is, the Mizushima's are not equipped to handing a blood-user. They are still afraid and no not what governs your ability. If you don't get this training, you will kill someone next time."

In shock, Kasumi simply whispered, "But my trial…"

Placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder, Shizuno smiled, "I'll take care of that, for now you have to choose. I'll return later tonight, so when I find you, please consider it." And with that Shizuno left. "Oh and, don't mind the mess, I'll explain that as well."

The trial was quick and to the point. As soon as Shizuno was mentioned, the combined councils were in outrage. "She meant no harm and only killed Yamamoto because he couldn't be stopped any other way," Ayano defended, hearing the accusations thrown towards Kasumi's mother, who was not present.

"It is true that Kenshi was a stubborn man, however, he was still a councilman. Whatever the act, his death is the fault of the Kannagi's for allowing this to happen!" A Mizushima councilman exclaimed.

"How dare you! Our people were defending themselves against your own, yet you have the gall to defend him and pin the blame on us!" A Kannagi council man shouted, slamming his hands on the desk.

"The Mizushima's do have a way of avoiding blame." A councilwoman provided, waving a fan over her face as her amber eyes glanced at the seething Mizushima's in a taunting manner.

"How dare you-!"

"Enough!" Takumi shouted, punching the wooden desk before him so hard as to break it in half. He turned to Jugo, his face still angry. "Sorry old friend."

The cheery green eyed leader merely rose a hand, "No problem, please continue."

Nodding his thanks, Takumi continued. "The death of Kenshi Yamamoto is alarming, though unavoidable. He was in charge of his own actions, therefore, his death was his own; no one is to blame for it. Now as for the matter concerning Shizuno," He looked to Kasumi, "What did she say?"

Looking the other way, Kasumi muttered, "She said that she wants to take me with her, to properly hone my abilities."

The black eyed water leader sat in his seat, silent for a few moments. "You should go."

Kasumi darted her head as the surrounding Mizushima's voiced their protest. "But sir, she has committed a felony against the clan, she must be punished, not rewarded!"

"She has been punished enough for the most of her life. So unless you don't mind there being casualties this time, then my decision is final."

After the trial meeting, Kasumi waited with her father, looking out at the setting sun, the elder man spoke. "I wouldn't have done it."

"Huh?" Kasumi voiced, tilting her head at her father's confusing conversation starter.

"I would not have shot your mother that night." He sighed out, looking forward into the horizon, avoiding his daughters gaze. "That night, I was so… scared and confused, whereas I should've been angry at her for lying to me. But… My ice wouldn't have moved and when it did, I was terrified of hurting your mother, so I diverted the ice itself. I never wanted to hurt her, but I just wish she was more honest with me."

Kasumi smiled at her father's openness, nudging his shoulder with hers. At the gates of the Mizushima compound, a woman stood, looking at the two with a smiling face, as if she heard it all. "Yeah, me too."

**Ugh! I know the end sucks, but it's just been here for so long and I just hate leaving projects undone for soooooooo long!**

**Again, sorry for cutting this story a bit short, but thanks for giving it a chance. See ya~!**


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